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amampersand's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laneni's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ramreadsagain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you Vintage for sending me a copy of this book.
Prophet starts out excellently: two intriguing characters with a bit of unspoken history between them have to team up to work out what is causing nostalgic objects from people's past to appear in the present. Stakes are upped when people start dying after coming into contact with their creations.
I devoured the first half of this and could not put it down, the plot had me hooked and the slowburn romance was really hitting. In the second half, and particularly the final 100 pages, it felt like the authors had written themselves into a sci-fi corner and i found the ending confusing and unsatisfying.
Some interesting commentary on the weaponisation of nostalgia though I wanted it to dig a bit deeper into a critisicm of the military.
Overall this was very readable and I loved the premise, it just then fell down towards the end in the execution.
I have since found out that this is Inception fanfic which is hilarious to me.
Prophet starts out excellently: two intriguing characters with a bit of unspoken history between them have to team up to work out what is causing nostalgic objects from people's past to appear in the present. Stakes are upped when people start dying after coming into contact with their creations.
I devoured the first half of this and could not put it down, the plot had me hooked and the slowburn romance was really hitting. In the second half, and particularly the final 100 pages, it felt like the authors had written themselves into a sci-fi corner and i found the ending confusing and unsatisfying.
Some interesting commentary on the weaponisation of nostalgia though I wanted it to dig a bit deeper into a critisicm of the military.
Overall this was very readable and I loved the premise, it just then fell down towards the end in the execution.
I have since found out that this is Inception fanfic which is hilarious to me.
lorendia's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m not sure I totally get this book. It was quite a slog for the middle 300 pages so maybe I skimmed a bit too much. Also: just make out already, geez.
wheresminnie's review against another edition
Very slow moving, not invested in the characters, and no idea what’s going on. Is Rao clairvoyant? Who can say. Not me.
generalmalfoy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I read this book in German.
The story is incredibly gripping, and while neither of the main characters seem very likable at the beginning with their manners and the information on their histories, I quickly warmed up to them and started rooting for them.
I loved all of the suspense and the not-quite-knowing what was going on and figuring it out alongside the characters.
I felt like the love story that was hinted at in the description was not as present romance-wise as I had suspected it was, which I really enjoyed since I tend to dislike romance, in the way it was written it was a nice part of the story, though not the main focus. The love was definitely there, and knowing so from the description for me personally added to the reading experience, especially when the characters went through some not-so-great-for-them moments.
The characters in this story were quite diverse which I really liked.
I really really enjoyed reading this and would recommend this for everyone who is looking for a suspense-filled thriller with scifi elements and some queer love on the side.
The story is incredibly gripping, and while neither of the main characters seem very likable at the beginning with their manners and the information on their histories, I quickly warmed up to them and started rooting for them.
I loved all of the suspense and the not-quite-knowing what was going on and figuring it out alongside the characters.
I felt like the love story that was hinted at in the description was not as present romance-wise as I had suspected it was, which I really enjoyed since I tend to dislike romance, in the way it was written it was a nice part of the story, though not the main focus. The love was definitely there, and knowing so from the description for me personally added to the reading experience, especially when the characters went through some not-so-great-for-them moments.
The characters in this story were quite diverse which I really liked.
I really really enjoyed reading this and would recommend this for everyone who is looking for a suspense-filled thriller with scifi elements and some queer love on the side.
thepaperbackplanner's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for access to this galley in exchange for an honest review!
What a weird book! And I mean that in a good way. It gave me a real case of the bookworms, aka, I could not stop thinking about it. I simply had to figure out what was going on here, and what everyone's whole deal was, because everyone had a whole deal. Our main characters, a guy who knows what is true and a guy who is extremely good at his military job, have the slowest of slow burns. I'm really glad I chose to reach out about this book and that Grove Atlantic chose me to read this arc — I loved it, and if you like scifi, you might, too!
What a weird book! And I mean that in a good way. It gave me a real case of the bookworms, aka, I could not stop thinking about it. I simply had to figure out what was going on here, and what everyone's whole deal was, because everyone had a whole deal. Our main characters, a guy who knows what is true and a guy who is extremely good at his military job, have the slowest of slow burns. I'm really glad I chose to reach out about this book and that Grove Atlantic chose me to read this arc — I loved it, and if you like scifi, you might, too!
astronutty's review against another edition
On paper this checks a lot of boxes. the representation, the concept, COOL!
but i'm fucking bored.
but i'm fucking bored.
dreareads_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is the most 3.5 book I have read in a long time.
This is a fun scifi buddy cop(soldiers?) story about nostalgia and governmental propaganda. I think it is a book that is trying to do a lot, but at times forgets the logic of its own world building. I appreciated the anticapitalist, US military propaganda motifs, but they often times felt vague and repetitive. Towards the end of the book I was left with more questions than answer, and not in the fun interpretation kind of way, but in the "I don't think the story understand its own rules" kind of way.
Fortunately, the book centers around two main characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I am obsessed with Rao and his unapologetic queerness and large personality. A personality that is deepened by his own personal trauma and insecurities. Pair him with a character like Adam, whom in the surface may seem serious and unfeeling but on the inside is warm and precious, and you simply have the perfect recipe for a captivating relationship. Even if the ending did not fully work for me, I was just happy to be with them.
For a 500+ pages book it was fun and fast paced enough that you do not feel fully bogged down by the lack of world building. But if you stop and think about it too much you will discover holes that not even prophet could fill.
This is a fun scifi buddy cop(soldiers?) story about nostalgia and governmental propaganda. I think it is a book that is trying to do a lot, but at times forgets the logic of its own world building. I appreciated the anticapitalist, US military propaganda motifs, but they often times felt vague and repetitive. Towards the end of the book I was left with more questions than answer, and not in the fun interpretation kind of way, but in the "I don't think the story understand its own rules" kind of way.
Fortunately, the book centers around two main characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I am obsessed with Rao and his unapologetic queerness and large personality. A personality that is deepened by his own personal trauma and insecurities. Pair him with a character like Adam, whom in the surface may seem serious and unfeeling but on the inside is warm and precious, and you simply have the perfect recipe for a captivating relationship. Even if the ending did not fully work for me, I was just happy to be with them.
For a 500+ pages book it was fun and fast paced enough that you do not feel fully bogged down by the lack of world building. But if you stop and think about it too much you will discover holes that not even prophet could fill.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War
loungeking's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0